Sorority Accused Of Being Skin Deep

Some Say Delta Zeta At DePauw University Dumped Sisters Based On Looks, Ethnicity

(CBS)  A national sorority's decision to dump two-thirds of the sisters in one of its Indiana houses — possibly because of their looks — is getting national attention and a review from the school of its sororities and fraternities.

The New York Times reported Sunday that national officers of Delta Zeta were worried about a negative stereotype and declining membership in its DePauw University chapter in Greencastle, Ind.

Thirty-five sisters were interviewed in November, and 23 were deemed insufficiently committed to the sorority and recruitment. Just before final exams in December, they were told to leave.

They included every woman who was overweight as well as the only black, Korean and Vietnamese members. Even the chapter's president was kicked out. The 12 who remained were slim and conventionally pretty.

"There's no proof of that but when I look around I think to myself, it had to have been" about looks, former sorority member Celeste Gossmann told CBS affiliate WISH-TV.

Six of the remaining sisters quit in protest.

"Virtually everyone who didn't fit a certain sorority member archetype was told to leave," Kate Holloway, a senior who withdrew from the chapter during its reorganization, told The Times. "I sensed the disrespect with which this was to be carried out and got fed up."

The last straw for Holloway was a recruiting event in November for DePauw freshmen, for which "blond" and "skinny" sorority members from Indiana University were brought in, she told the Indianapolis Star, for which she has worked as a reporting intern.

Some of the booted sorority sisters withdrew from classes in depression. There have been student protests, outraged letters from alumni and parents, and a faculty petition calling the sorority's action unethical.

"None of us signed up for a sorority judging us on how we looked," Gossmann told WISH.

As a result, DePauw has revised standards for student groups and adding three employees specifically to work with fraternities and sororities, which draw nearly three-quarters of the student body, reports the Star.

The other six sororities on campus have about 100 members each, and Holloway told the Star that the Delta Zeta sisters never ignored the lagging membership.

When a psychology professor at the school surveyed students, they described Delta Zeta sisters as "socially awkward."

Although it declined interview requests, the sorority did fire back.

"Delta Zeta finds it offensive that recent reports have suggested that decisions at DePauw University were related in any way to our members' races and nationalities," the sorority said in a statement on its Web site. In e-mail to The Times, national executive director Cynthia Winslow Menges said the sorority "is saddened that the isolated incident at DePauw has been mischaracterized."

But the sorority also seems to admit it may have made a mistake.

"With a steady decline in membership in the Delta Chapter over several years, the viability of the chapter was in question. In the process of addressing that situation, we misjudged how some of our communications would be received by our members, and we regret that," the statement said.

Cindy Babington, DePauw's dean of students, told WISH the school had nothing to do with the decision to evict the 23 students from the sorority house, and she hopes it doesn't reflect poorly on DePauw.

"I think at this point, we're getting an awful lot of unpopular publicity," Babington told the Star. "I don't know how or if they will survive this."

During rush activities this month, The Times reported, 11 first-year students accepted invitations to join Delta Zeta, but only three have sought membership.

Delta Zeta isn't the only problem in DePauw's Greek system. Three fraternities have been on probation in as many years for hazing, university officials said.

The university has drawn up new "living standards" for fraternities and sororities, which includes a provision to prevent another incident such as what happened at Delta Zeta. The specific proposals, which DePauw's trustees are expected to approve in April, were not made public.

"It really was a statement of wanting our Greek system to be stronger," Babington told the Star. "Many other schools, small schools particularly, have let their Greek systems self-destruct, and we didn't want to let that happen."

Delta Zeta has 165 chapters and is headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. It was founded in 1902 at Miami University there. The DePauw chapter was founded in 1909.

[djberson]

Yeah, lets get rid of the ugly!

This sorrority should be shut down completely.

[musty2u]

Bella Abzug would not be happy here.

[thenamesdave]

I would just ban all Greek organizations.

[cathaleen]

Aren't they just following our culture's lead?
Everyone is on a diet or should be. People are put down if they are heavy and judged on what they look like. You reap what you sow.

[neojoker]

A pretty girl is like a melody. I can't help but envision an evil, Elle Woods(Legally Blonde), who has totally lost it, on a rampage, out to get rid of the scourge of fat people and black people, for the good of the sorority. Cover your eyes Bruiser.

[xenalily]

cathaleen- you're right- it's pretty much reflecting societal norms. We are really doomed with the generation that is in college now (see the narcissim article on this site. )And let's not forget that you also have to have money to be in a sorority. White, thin, wealthy and cute is what the sorority system is about and that has been the standard for a long time. Why is this news now?

[musty2u]

What about the sign "don't feed the cows"?

[noview1]

"White, thin, wealthy and cute is what the sorority system is about and that has been the standard for a long time."

Ahh. it's it great.

[richhong]

I think there is a positive side to this story: the young women of that particular chapter clearly chose to value something other than looks; after all, the national org felt they needed to expel two-thirds of them (23 of 35)! This means that these young women had rejected the notion that your value is based on being blonde, thin, and pretty.

The national organization is clearly out of step with the women on the campuses. (And if you search the Internet on Delta Zeta, you can find the "rush" results for January, 2007 - that chapter had a quota of 34 pledges, and got only 3.) The future does not bode well for "skin deep" organizations like the national offices of DZ.

There's hope buried in the midst of this story.

[huskerarmy]

This is just another example of the extreme form of social darwinism that he right has been sponsoring since the eighties.

[klingon69]

Sad, in this day when we have young ladies starving themselves to try and fit into what mainline call attractive, something like this occurs.
Don't people realize that ALL women are beautiful. God gave Eve unto Adam as a helpmate, therefore she was a gift from God. All women should be viewed as such.

[gunnerv1]

Say it ain't so! The only thing about Sororities and Fraternities is that MOST but not all of the members are such spoiled little monsters that can't or don't know how to make friends is that their parents have to buy their friends, and yes, I was in a Fraternity (Viet-Nam Vets, I bought my way in with combat disabilites)

[queensbee51]

i'm familiar with this gang of xenophobic, witless and antisemitc types. knew em in the 60s-early 70s at the chapter in Adelphi U on Long Island. they weren't happy with us jewesses. and they surely didnt like my radical little self. bozos. Greek orgs are passe beyond passe. my recollection is that back in that day, they were all pretty, skinny little blonde shikses. their biggest enemy was the other Delta something at Adelphi. they're probably all fat now. HAAA!!they were already stupid!

[richhong]

Dear xenalily: why say we are doomed with the generation that is on campus now? The current students were the ones who admitted these women who weren't white, thin, and pretty. It was the national org that swooped in to expel them. Heck, they expelled the chapter president! And then 50% of the ones who weren't expelled quit in solidarity. The women ON campus seem pretty admirable here. The ugly attitudes came from off-campus.

[dogsoul]

Yeah... where's the news in THIS article? Gee - sorority girls being catty, narcissistic, shallow & judgemental... who knew!? Next we'll hear that frat boys drink, haze & act rowdy - what's this world coming to!

What I WILL say is that there's nothing here that isn't going on & well encouraged in the mainstream culture... and please folks, let's not try to pin this on Bush, Republicans, or the religious right - after all, Hollywood & the fashion industry aren't exactly conservative strongholds. Ya know... when I see movies like 'Mean Girls' or 'Legally Blond' - and shows like 'Laguna Beach', 'Real Housewives of Orange County', 'My Super Sweet 16th Birthday' & the like - I view them as parodies - poking fun at that kind of mindset... but eventually, I began to realize that many among our younger generation really DO want to BE like that - they really DO see that as who & what they want to emulate... and when I hear them chatting it up, I think to myself - you can't possibly be serious... but they are - so this kinda thing doesn't surprise me in the least...

[vancouverboo]

They are doing what they are supposed to do, accuratly reflecting American values. We all know how important looks are in the workplace, in elections, in movies and entertainment, and just about everywhere. They want the best girls and that means the best looking girls. Is Angelina Jolie a movie star because of her high IQ? Is Madonna a star because of her love of the Kaballa?
And the frats are doing what they are supposed to be doing, also, reflecting America's respect for manly virtues, like football and beer drinking.
Forget all the *** you hear about science, math and grades. That's not reality. That's just people talking.
Ain't America great?

[truth_reason]

We all have our oppions on these type of things and most of them make perfect sence. "InMyOpinion" has a good point and makes it well. Many orgs like this are only there as a type of "click" nothing more nothing less. They are not repuried to make it through collage and in my opinion they dont even need to be affilatied with collages. Most girls (due to my research) are cute,skinny,and fit in these little "clicks". These girls were most likly that way in collage and just cant seem to let it go now. Hmmm what to do, what to do?

[mnelsonix]

Cute skinny blonds. Probably dumb too...Perfect!!!

[xenalily]

I give give the six members credit who quit in protest but I don't think that most people would do that if put in the same position. There is sometimes a lot of pressure put on people to go Greek in private small schools- there was in mine. If you weren't pledging you were no one and I had friends in these sororities that made their whole life about pledging. These girls were ruthless with each other- I know I saw it first hand. But they continued to get people to rush every semester. I had a brother in a fraternity and went to his frat house quite a bit and was privy to what they did on "Hell night" and at other stages of pledging. It was horrendous! I guess it is just my opinion, but I think that campuses need to start phasing out the sororties and fraternities.

[dogsoul]

Richhong & InMyOpinion do make some good points...

Let's really take a look at how successfully this alleged strategy of cutting out the fat worked... Apparently, their membership has seen such decline over the years as to endanger the organization's very existence - even to the point of 6 'accepted' members quitting... Beyond the PR backlash they're feeling now - I remember viewing such sororities as pretty (pun intended) pathetic back in the day... they usually teamed up with some male frat counterpart & basically hung around their "own kind" - which was fine by me, heck - they did me the favor of weeding themselves out of MY desired company. Let them have their little club & hang out with eachother... after all - if that's what they're really like... why would YOU want them around anyway?

[kailumego1]

Beauty is in the "eye of the beholder".

Every American doesn't think white, blond, and anorexic women are naturally beautiful only those who are %u201Cbrainwashed%u201D by society and the media.

Beauty comes in all shades, shapes, and colors, of which some of the most beautiful people are those who have a hue, i.e. Native American, East Indian, Arab, South American, Cuban, Mexico, Africa [Ethiopian people are the most beautiful], and Asian. This society has %u201Cbrainwashed%u201D individuals into accepting this ridiculous farce forcing them to ostracize themselves for not fitting into this %u201Cdelusion of grandeur%u201D.

I%u2019ve witnessed Arab men going %u201Cbananas%u201D over an average looking blond paper thin white woman, while standing next to a beautiful olive complexion Arab woman, how ridiculous. American society has really did a number on people.

[mnelsonix]

American society has really did a number on people.


Posted by kailumego1 at 12:12 PM : Feb 27, 2007

Hilarious!!! American society is to blame for how beauty is perceived?

LMAO

[kevin3780-2009]

This has become the norm at colleges and universities throughout the country. Everytime I hear something about a fraternity or sorority it envolves childish behavior. I think schools should abolish these organizations and quit enabling these students. These organizations clearly detract from the educational experience by condoning childlike behavior. This makes a good case for community colleges that don't have these hideous organizations and focus more on classes than extracurricular activities.

[dogsoul]

"I%u2019ve witnessed Arab men going %u201Cbananas%u201D over an average looking blond paper thin white woman, while standing next to a beautiful olive complexion Arab woman"

So beauty is in the eye of the beholder, unless of course that 'beholder' happens to be an Arab man who prefers avg looking paper thin blonds over olive complexion Arab women? Then it's a matter of brain washing? I dunno, just because your tastes vary doesn't mean they're any better.

People are attracted to whoever they find attractive for lots of reasons... heck, I'll NEVER understand the Justin Timberlake thing - and while there ARE some general guidelines - it really is to each his own kinda thing....

[vancouverboo]

Would Katie Couric be where she is if she were a dog?

[blaktungchow]

IT'S SPELLED DEPAUL NOT 'DEPAUW'AS THE TITLE OF THIS STORY SUGGESTS,
'Sorority Accused Of Being Skin Deep
Some Say Delta Zeta At DePauw University Dumped Sisters Based On Looks, Ethnicity '

DOESN'T CBS HAVE A SPELL CHECKER.

[oleander8]

Katie ain't nothin' to write home about....

[dvsden]

DePauw is in Indiana, DePaul is in Chicago: RTFA.

I like how the national chapter claims that the sorrority doesn't discriminate based on race. I suppose if the Black member looked like Beyonce and the Asian girls looked like hot porn stars, they would have been asked to stay

[kpbkpb]

We are living in the "ME GENERATION." As long as adults and authority figures allow this type of behavior, girls who are not considered in "the click" will continue to treat others so callously and will try and purposely destroy others self-esteem and worth (because they were taught they are better and no one else deserves the same rights or privileges). The girls left in the sorority have obviously been raised the wrong way, caring more about self than others. Raised with lack of morals and scruples. Their parents should also be held responsible for letting such beast out into society. If it helps these young girls who were thrownout and basically told they are unworthy-- What goes around comes around...

[soxperk]

The Greeks rule at DePauw and have since at least as far back as 1970 when I was in college. They are proud of their Greek status. By the schools own admission, DePauw may be the most %u201CGreek%u201D institution in the US. 70% or more of the kids are members. Go to DePauw's website and read the report from 2003 on the school President's page. Check it our for yourself before they pull it off their site.


When too much importance is placed on one aspcet or facet, things will eventually become unbalanced and tip. Especially when superficial 18-22 year-olds are involved. (I have 2 of them.) Social agenda is critical and outsiders will be shunned. Sounds like the patients are running the asylum. Monster created by administration. How do you get kids and parents to go to a small Hoosier school and pay big $? Maybe selling the Greek social system is one way?

[dpugypsy]

My name is Kelly Higgins. I graduated from DePauw University in 2005, and I was a active member of Delta Zeta. I know this school, I know this sorority, and I know these girls. Delta Zeta at DePauw may have not have been a large sorority, but we were sisters who supported and loved one another, who took care of one another. We helped teach each other how to be good people, and we did not base membership on how attractive each girl is. I am horribly ashamed of the national organization who rejected the dedicated, intelligent, caring women who made up our active chapter. So, to the national organization, shame on you.
And, to all of you who know nothing of these girls, who were terribly hurt by the actions of the national organization, stop stereotyping them at fat, stupid, ugly or childish. You know nothing of these women, and you can stop attacking their character and integrity at any time.

[mnelsonix]

Ahh Kelly Higgins...Do you have a quivering boo boo lip?

[longbeachdz]

As a sister of Delta Zeta (Delta Alpha chapter, Long Beach State University), I am absolutely appalled. I only wish every chapter could be as open minded and welcoming as mine is. This just makes me so angry.

[longbeachdz]

As a sister of Delta Zeta (Delta Alpha chapter, Long Beach State University), I am absolutely appalled. I only wish every chapter could be as open minded and welcoming as mine is. This just makes me so angry.

[olebuzzard]

Does this show how snotty and pointless these organizations (female and male) are?

[gunnerone2]

Ok, if the sorority had been accepting girls of all sizes and shapes and still had a declining membership, then there must be some other reason than looks to cause it. A negative stereotype was mentioned in addition to declining membership but what was it?
Also, the criteria used to select suitable people for membership was not disclosed. More information would be helpful.

[samthetvcat]

So 6 of the 'accepted' members quit in protest - what the heck is the matter with the other 6? With national attention portraing them as being superficial and discriminatory 6 of the women are still okay with that?!? At an institution of higher learning no less - wtg 'ladies' . . . ugh!

[bildooreilly]

I'd let the chick in the blue shirt join my personal private club...

[gt1003]

I was a Delta Zeta this kind of thing happened at our chapter. We used "goober" cards during rush events to put down the names of girls deemed undesirable to make sure they weren't offered membership. I personally was invited to go to another chapter to help with recruiting because they were deemed socially awkward and needed "cute" girls to go and act like members. And sadder still was the fact that I joined Delta Zeta because it was the least sorority-like sorority on campus-- just like those girls did at DePauw.

But what is truly sad to me is that the reason the girls were kicked out was because they weren't making their numbers in recruiting and without the numbers they wouldn't survive as a chapter there. And the reason they weren't making their numbers was because the girls going through rush weren't willing to sign up to be their sisters because they were socially awkward. The national reps are there to make the sorority survive on campus and the only way they could do that was to try and change the image of the sorority to something they know works-- cute and popular. If the girls in the sorority had been making their numbers nothing would have been said but they weren't. It's all sick, sick, sick but also reflects the state of mind of the girls going through rush who just don't want to join a group of geeks. Plain, simple, ugly truth.

[a-ji]

What is this? MISS UNIVERSE BEAUTY CONTEST?!

[a-ji]

In addition to, for the six who left, good decision. For the other who stayed and enjoying being selected because of their physical appearance. Well, one thing for sure, thay have no brains to know the difference between right and wrong.

[debrasimons]

Sororities and fraternities are so outdated aren't they? I certainly know that most Phi Beta Kappa graduates of major universities don't join this trifling nonsense.Check the statistics. They have been on the wane for years now..anyone interested in excellent education looks down on these groups.. Low SAT scores go hand in hand with high sorority ties.

Debra Simons
Asheville, NC

[ecuadoriana]

Why do people have to join these little gangs in the first place? College is supposed to be for educational pursuits- if they want parties & popularity either return to high school or go to a nightclub.

This whole frat/sorority thing makes about as much sense as adults crying because they got kicked out of the tree house fort. Grown ups don't need to join clubs for popularity, based on popularity. Yeah, I know, defenders of this archaic "Greek system" will say "Oh, but they do good things for the community, charity events, fund raising, etc..." Then fine, they can go out & join a real volunteer organisation that doesn't require membership fees, hazing, membership based on such shallow requirements as their family's DNA, bank account, looks, weight, or hair colour.

They should stand up & be induviduals for crying out loud & stop following frat brothers & sorority sisters around like blind, brown-nosed little sheep!

[agnim]

U.S. Urged to Reveal Whereabouts of Prisoners Held in Secret Jails

More information has come to light about the CIA's network of secret overseas prisons. A Palestinian man named Marwan Jabour has told Human Rights Watch that he was held in a secret US prison in Afghanistan for nearly two years. According to Jabour, his clothes were taken from him when he arrived at the prison. He was left completely naked for a month and a half. He was chained tightly to the wall of his small cell so that he could not stand up. He was placed in painful stress positions so that he had difficulty breathing. And he was told that if he did not cooperate he would be put in a suffocating %u201Cdog box.%u201D For two years Jabour spent nearly all of his time alone in a windowless cell, with little human contact besides his captors. Jabour said, %u201CIt was a grave. I felt like my life was over.%u201D Based in part on information provided by Jabour, Human Rights Watch has released the names of 38 men believed to have been held in secret CIA prisons who have since disappeared. The group is calling on President Bush to account for the disappeared %u2013 all of whom are Muslim men

ANY AMERICANS?

[samthetvcat]

"Plain, simple, ugly truth."
Posted by gt1003 at 02:56 PM : Feb 27, 2007

Bimboization for the sake of the greater good - oh, give me a break! When Hugh Hefner comes-a-calling on you 'ladies' I suggest you take that offer because I shudder to think what's going to happen to you all if you actually try to make it in the world based on your other talents.

[alabamdeb]

College...the new High School!

[ecuadoriana]

"U.S. Urged to Reveal Whereabouts of Prisoners Held in Secret Jails... all of whom are Muslim men. ANY AMERICANS?"
Posted by Agnim at 03:30 PM : Feb 27, 2007

Uh, a little ADD there, Agnim?

[markbrookhar]

Fraternities and Sororities are inherently biased by their construct, and even prejudicial fundamentally. Hazing, exclusion, racism, humiliation, extortion characterize even the best of them. The history is dismal. They are a waning chapter in academia and need to be retired. All students need to find other participative pursuits in their college involvement.

[ecuadoriana]

"Fu(king disgusting shallow...worst that humaity has to offer."
Posted by humancitizen at 03:55 PM : Feb 27, 2007

Uh, steady on there, humancitizen. It smells like you're about to burst an artery.

[samthetvcat]

"SamtheTVrat = fat a$$ zitfaced loser who jacks off in front of a picture of his mother sucking his brothers d1(k."
Posted by humancitizen at 03:58 PM : Feb 27, 2007

I'm a girl skippy!